How much do you tip for lunch on a cruise?

Some people prefer to tip on a per-meal basis, and tend to weight the tips more for dinner – $20 per dinner, $10 for lunch and $5 for breakfast. Depending on your cruise line and your choice of dining plan, you might get the same waiter every night.



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Similar to purchasing beverages, if you purchase a dinner at a specialty restaurant, the cruise line often adds a 15 to 20% service charge. Normally, the service we receive in these venues is more personal and upscale, so we usually tip extra here as well, around 15 to 20 percent.

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However, the general rule of thumb is to tip approximately 15-20% of your daily cruise fare plus an additional gratuity of $5-10 per person per day.

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Because they are charged on a daily basis, you do not have to worry about tipping each crew member yourself. Many passengers, however, still like to leave extra tips for their stateroom attendant and dining room waiters at the end of the cruise.

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In general, plan on giving $16–$23 in gratuities per day for each passenger. Note that the amount should be tabulated for each individual in your party—don't try to tip once per couple or group. So if you're planning to go on a 7-day cruise, expect to give a total of between $112 and $161 per person in gratuities.

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If you plan to remove tips from your onboard bill, you will need to plan in advance to bring enough cash for personal tipping, then wait in a potentially long line at the guest services desk to remove the auto-gratuities and chase down all the crew members you wish to thank on the last evening.

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A 18% gratuity is automatically added to all beverages, mini bar items, and spa & salon purchases. Guests can pre-pay gratuities by calling 866-562-7625 before the sailing*.

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If you do not prepay cruise gratuities before sailing, the cruise line will add them to your onboard bill. The cruise line will then charge your credit card for the gratuity amount at the end of the sailing – along with other purchases you made with your cruise card (drinks, souvenirs, spa treatments, tours, etc.).

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Average extra tips vary, with most cruisers averaging $1-2 for drinks or room service, and $10-20 per day for cabin stewards. It's up to you if you decide to tip extra, but your automatic gratuity charge covers all the essentials.

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Tipping on a Cruise Begins Before Sailaway Savvy cruisers know that gratuities begin before you board your ship. Why? If you plan to drop off your larger pieces of luggage, be prepared to give the portside luggage handler a $2- $5 tip per bag. The amount can depend upon size, weight and amount of luggage.

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How much you tip on cruise excursions is entirely up to you, but a suggested starting price is $3 per person for a half-day tour and $6 per person for a full-day tour for the guide and $1 to $2 for the bus driver. You can, of course, increase that amount based on your experience on the excursion.

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You probably won't need much actual cash while onboard, as many cruise lines will just charge purchases to your account. Even ship casinos these days have cashless credit systems. On nearly all cruises, passengers are given an itemized bill at the end of the trip listing all charged expenses.

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There are no cruise lines which offer cheaper deals on gratuities if you pay them in advance. However, it can be cheaper to do so anyway, as it can mean avoiding any price rises if you're booking at least a few months before you sail.

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(1). You have the right to refuse this automatic gratuity charge and may compensate cruise staff on your own terms. However, you will need to notify the front desk of this desire. Otherwise it will appear on your bill when your cruise ends and it will be charged to your credit card on file.

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Technically speaking, you can remove gratuities on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but you absolutely shouldn't do this. Although Royal Caribbean gives you two options for paying gratuities (prepaying or being charged daily once onboard), some passengers try to opt out of paying any gratuities whatsoever.

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Note: All of the examples used in this post are things we've actually seen!
  • Cruise ship etiquette says to treat the crew with respect. ...
  • Consider your complaints. ...
  • Good cruise ship etiquette means waiting your turn. ...
  • Give up your deck chair when you're not there. ...
  • PIN FOR LATER. ...
  • Don't share your drink package. ...
  • Drink responsibly.


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How much do non-salaried cruise ship employees earn? Gratuities usually come into play for service-oriented crew members who earn an hourly wage. The base wage is usually low -- sometimes as little as a few dollars a day, leaving tips to represent as much as 95 percent of their total take home pay.

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Some guests leave a lump-sum tip on the last day of their stay, but a better practice is doling out incremental tips daily, as hotel housekeepers might have different day-to-day room assignments. A daily tip more closely ensures your gratitude goes to the specific worker who services the room each day.

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“It is not customary to tip at a continental breakfast that is served buffet-style,” Bergen says. “It is customary and appreciated to tip during breakfast when there is a server who takes your order or serves coffee and juice.”

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As of Sep 24, 2023, the average hourly pay for a Cruise Waiter in the United States is $14.94 an hour.

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Farlow: I would estimate the average tip for helping a boat tie up and refuel and to guide them through the paperwork we require for the first time – is about $20. Every time an attendant assists a guest it is not usual for them to receive a $5 to $10 tip. For the week, our attendants might receive about $100 in tips.

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Should we tip our beach attendant? A. Tips are always appreciated. A customary tip of 10% - 20% of your rental price is appropriate.

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